Recipe: Nesco Roast Turkey

Roast Turkey
Source: Nesco.com

One of the most famous meals prepared in a Nesco Roaster Oven is turkey dinner, great for the Holidays!

Below are the cooking methods used in the Nesco test kitchens to get the best results in either a Nesco Roaster Oven or the new Nesco Roast-Air Oven .

This recipe should give you a moist, tender turkey every time. The family and guests will love it! Happy Cooking!

1 - 14 to 22 lb. Turkey, fresh or frozen (thaw before roasting)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet)

Preheat 18 qt. Nesco Roaster oven to 400 degrees F. If you have a 12 Qt. Nesco , a maximum of a 14 lb. turkey is recommended.

Spray cookwell and rack with spray cooking oil (if non-stick cookwell is used, spraying is not recommended). Clean and rinse turkey; pat dry. Place turkey on rack. Using a pastry brush, spread butter mixture evenly over skin of turkey. Season with poultry seasoning or other, as desired.

Determine length of roasting time at 15 to 20 minutes per pound, subtract 2 hours; the remaining time becomes the interim roasting time. A stuffed turkey will add 30 to 45 minutes on to the total roasting time.

First hour of roasting: Cover; roast one hour at 450. With baster, remove any liquid and fat from cavity of bird and from cookwell. Set aside to make gravy if you wish. Brush bird with basting liquid or with butter mixture. Stuff cavity, if desired.

Interim roasting: Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast for interim roasting time. With baster, remove any liquid from the cavity of bird and from cookwell. Brush bird with basting liquid or with butter mixture.

Last hour of roasting: Increase temperature to 400 degrees. Roast remaining portion of time. Remove any liquid from cavity of turkey. Let bird stand 10 minutes before slicing.

If turkey is done early, reduce temperature to 200 degrees until serving time.

Note: Roast turkey until internal temperature of meat reaches 180 degrees on the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh muscle. Save the juices to make gravy or as a base for soup. Variation: For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup apple or orange juice concentrate to butter basting mixture. A sliced onion inside the cavity of the turkey also gives is a nice flavor if you choose not to stuff it.